This is the time that people set a new course to start living their best life. It doesn’t matter if you resolve to do the same thing every year but then fall short around March. Whatever you need to help jumpstart your new mindset is perfectly OK. While you may be looking to improve your health or adjust your overall attitude, why not change up your love life while you’re at it?

We all can stand to re-examine things in the romance department right now; surely not everything was puppies and rainbows last year. Make a list of what didn’t work for you and implement changes so you can try for better in 2018. This is a valid exercise whether you are partnered or single.

Solo

Being single during the holidays can often be a polarizing topic: some people love it and others loathe it. Think of this relationship status as the ultimate blank slate, and utilize the opportunity to reinvent yourself. Perhaps you tend to be timid and soft-spoken when meeting others; try channeling your inner goddess and approach people with boisterous confidence. You don’t have to be over the top, but give different personality traits a try, and you just might find a part of yourself you didn’t know was there. There is some truth behind the phrase “Fake it ‘till you make it.”

Singlehood is also an excellent opportunity to get to know yourself on a more personal level. Time spent on yourself is never time wasted! Discover your body and all of its subtle nuances. This is tremendous for your well-being and helpful in learning that someone else isn’t necessary for your satisfaction. You will also glean valuable information you can pass onto your future partner; the better you can communicate your likes and dislikes to your significant other, the greater the chance for satisfaction in your relationship.

Partnered 

You don’t have to open your wallet to spice things up in the bedroom—just your mind. Trying something new can simply mean being intimate in a room you usually don’t frequent. Change up your typical roles by being more dominant or submissive than you usually are. The shift in your power dynamic is sure to result in an exciting encounter!

Keeping communication open when trying new things with your partner is key. Chances are you will try something that isn’t for either of you and that’s OK—just laugh it off! A good sense of humor is essential when experimenting in the bedroom.

As you move forward to explore previously uncharted territory, allow yourself to be guided by your creativity, and recognize that you are worth creating the life and relationships you want. Happy New Year!

Megan Stubbs

Dr. Megan Stubbs is a Sexologist, the job you never saw on career day. For insightful tips or a good laugh, find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SexologistMegan.com.